Health and medical practitioners, regardless of job titles medical and scientific expertise, must understand the importance of professionalism: the need to perform in a professional, ethical, legal and competent manner to promote all aspects of practice, education, management and regulation to ensure excellent, accessible cost-effective services to all health care consumers.
Professionalism is the expression of a professional mission, vision, value and commitment as a professional. It is the state of the mind, a way of being, knowing and doing that distinguishes one practitioner from another. It is the totality of a person's value, character, how that person treats others and their contributions in the practice and workplace. Professionals can view their work practice as a source of pride and for the role they play in society. As consumers of health care, we rely on professionals who take care of our health and who are reliable, who possess the competency needed to practice, who provide patients with the latest diagnostic procedures and efficient, affordable care to overcome the diseases and conditions that negatively impact our health and quality of life.
Health care is a business, too, as consumers and taxpayers pay for health services. Health care providers are challenged to provide up-to-date services with the fewest resources as possible, while simultaneously being expected to achieve high quality outcomes. This challenge can only be met by health care employees committed to quality and effectiveness.
Key factors in professionalism include a strong work ethic, commitment, reliability, self-control, self-discipline and knowing what is expected by employers and the public. Physicians should ensure they are aware of and understand laws, regulation and policies and that they are in full compliance. Compliance must be made in regulations concerning patient safety, patient confidentiality, environmental precautions, labor laws, record retention, licensing and credentials and possible conflicts of interest. Examples of illegal or unethical behaviors of health care workers are billing fraud, destruction of medical records, profiting from self referral, sexual harassment, theft of company property and other dishonest acts.
It is imperative health care professionals work within their scope of practice. Performing duties beyond what is legally permitted to do is risky as well as illegal. State agencies and regulators grant licenses only to people who meet preestablished qualifications. Other health care professionals require a special certification to meet competency standards.
Recently we were awed by the news of the octuplet delivery. This is an example of a major violation of professionalism, severe violation of standards of practice and procedure. Complying with laws and regulation is of utmost importance. Violations can get the medical practitioner in big trouble, can be fired, prosecuted or incarcerated and fined.
It cannot be overemphasized enough the importance of team work, collaboration and commitment and values in professionalism. There must be cooperation and working together passively and collaborate actively with other professionals and workers in the organization. Shared values set the standard for professional performance, define the team's identity and help people become more connected.
In any working environment, there are always people pervading the organization who disrupt teamwork and can significantly slow the progress of any projects and who regularly interfere with decision making. These persons serve primarily to dictate, agitate, irritate and devastate — stirring up trouble, serving as a disruptive influence and stifling initiative. There also is the potentate, driven by the vagaries of ego, who wants to be a big shot. Fortunately facilitators and cogitators often can be counted upon to save the day, help to pull together, rather than compete with others, and to show working together precedes winning together.
Some personal competencies that can guide one toward “getting yourself right”:
Integrity: Doing what is right at all time. That is to do what is correct even if you could get away doing something else otherwise.
Competence: Know your expertise, where you are most skilled, the boundaries of your authority and where you must work with others cooperatively and collaboratively.
Vision: Determine where you are going and make a clear roadmap of what goals must be pursued and how to accomplish them.
Respect: Respect is essential for yourself and the people you work with.
Passion: Passion carries you over the rough spots, pushes you to succeed and helps get others on board with you.
Humanity: Understand every venture is a human enterprise.
It is an honor and privilege to be appointed to serve the public. To do the peoples' work is a responsibility that must not be taken lightly. Our activities and interaction with the state boards, as well as other professionals and the public, must be guided by an uncompromising sense of professionalism with core values of trust, respect, objectivity, commitment and excellence to successfully explore the possibilities and challenges of the frontiers of professional practice.
- Copyright 2008 Federation of State Medical Boards. All Rights Reserved.
